The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube Sports Correspondent
HIGHLANDERS Football Club has allayed fears that the envisaged constitutional review exercise was meant to rubber stamp the board of directors’ objectives. While members gave the thumbs up to the review process at last Sunday’s annual general meeting of the club, some are still skeptical of the whole process alleging it was meant to endorse predetermined changes coming from the board.
Rumours abound that a structure already formulated by the board was in place with some members questioning whether the whole review would be driven by the top hierarchy instead of the entire membership.
However, Highlanders board member Elkanah Dube who sold the idea at the AGM said the envisaged structure should be in line with the Fifa Club Licensing regulations hence whatever Bosso formulates should border around the recommended organogram.
Dube said once a task force was in place it should come up with the modalities on how they would gather the views of the members which would be the basis for the formation of the new constitution.
According to Dube the idea was only motivated by the need to take the club forward. And now that members were aware of the need to make changes to the constitution, they should deeply think about that and bring suggestions to the fore.
Highlanders’ member Boniface Ndlovu said while it was inevitable for changes to be made to the constitution there were concerns that the amendments had already been done, and someone simply wanted them (membership) to endorse.
He said the most worrying factor was the process’s time frame of five months which he said was inadequate.
“The changes seem to be wide ranging and looks like it will be an overhaul of the charter but the time given is little. We need wider consultations,” said Ndlovu.
Bheki Fuyane said the talk of shares was also another worrying factor because it showed something had already been discussed.
“I don’t think shares will do us any good considering the fact that Bosso is more than a football team but a cultural institution for the people of this region.
We are bound to ask ourselves how much are the shares going to cost and who is going to buy them? At the end of the day what kind of ownership structure do we want to obtain at Bosso? What if the shares fall into the “wrong” hands,’” queried Fuyane.
Ndlovu concurred adding that Bosso had managed to retain huge support in the region because people felt they were part owners of the club, but if it was to fall into a single person’s hands, the consequences could be to ghastly to contemplate.
Dube, however, said members will have the final say, and should be at the forefront of the process.
